Vietnam and Myanmar hold the eighth annual political consultation at the deputy minister level (Photo: VNA)

Co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu and Permanent Secretary of the Myanmar Foreign Ministry Soe Han, the meeting discussed measures to further promote the Vietnam-Myanmar comprehensive cooperative partnership, especially in realizing recent high-level agreements. Two-way trade surged to nearly 860 million USD last year and is expected to reach 1 billion USD next year. Vietnam is now the seventh largest foreign investor in Myanmar with 18 projects worth nearly 2.3 billion USD.

Mr. Soe Han said the regional and global situation is uncertain as world powers compete for influence in Asia-Pacific. He said ASEAN should promote solidarity and hasten the building of the ASEAN Community to affirm its central role in the regional architecture.

During a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Mr. Soe Han affirmed that Myanmar will actively support Vietnam in its the role as ASEAN Chair next year and non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure.